Jaffa Jack
by ScruffyLovin
Summary: A series of ficlets/drabbles/etc, in the lives of Jack and Sam after the altered events in season one's 'Hathor.' What if Jack was permanently a Jaffa? Each installment can be read as a stand-alone, with different genres for each one. Established SJ.
1. Jaffa Jack

**Summary: **Post 'Hathor' AU what-if. Jack and Sam discuss his Jaffa belly.

**Characters/Pairing: **Established Sam/Jack

**Genre: **General, Angst, AU

**Rating: **G

**Jaffa Jack**

When Hathor's sarcophagus was destroyed before they'd been able to get Jack into it, Sam's heart had frozen with fear. Her only comfort was Teal'c's assurance that the infant Goa'uld that had found it's way into her husband's womb would sustain him. Sam was still scared of what would happen now that Jack was, quite simply, a Jaffa.

Her husband finally regained his senses twenty-four hours after Hathor was gone. He hadn't remembered his encounter with the Goa'uld, or what she'd done to him, but he quickly found out. Jack had been quite a terror to be around in the recent days that followed. The only thing that kept him sane was Sam's unconditional love, and Teal'c's persistence in teaching him the Jaffa ways of Kelno'reem meditation that would ensure he survived.

Four weeks after the harrowing ordeal, which included lots of visits with Dr. Mackenzie, medical tests, and much secrecy to keep the Colonel out of the hands of the wrong people, Jack had been allowed to return to active duty. He was a Jaffa in body, though not in spirit. He still wasn't happy about his situation.

Lying in bed with her husband, her head resting on his chest, Sam began to lightly trace the edges that marked his pouch. It was the first time he'd gone to bed without wrapping his stomach up in an Ace bandage since he'd been home. Jack still had nightmares that his symbiote would crawl out of his pouch at night and implant itself in the back of her neck. She was surprised that she wasn't the one with the nightmares.

Sam felt him suck in a sharp breath, no longer half asleep. He didn't need to sleep, but he was used to it, and most of the time he did anyway, even though he wasn't feeling tired. "Does it hurt?" she asked in a quiet, gentle voice.

Sam sat up slowly and pulled away from Jack slightly when he didn't answer her right away. She knew he was surprised at the question by the way his brows furrowed slightly and he blinked at her. It wasn't a topic they really ever talked about, unless forced to in therapy sessions.

"No." Jack answered finally, breathing slowly and looking up at her. His hard eyes softened and he reached for her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Honey," she began slowly, tentatively. "What does it feel like?"

His brows knit together again, contemplative. She had to admit she was a little surprised he wasn't getting angry. "It doesn't hurt, it's just…weird."

Sam smiled tightly and laid down at his side again, leaning close so she could kiss his cheek. She didn't have the heart to discuss his pouch any further, knowing how much contempt he felt for it.

Putting a hand over his bare stomach, as though just realizing it was uncovered, Jack sat up and began to get out of bed.

Sam reached for him, pulling her husband back. "No Jack, it's okay. It doesn't bother me," she insisted. She knew wearing the tight bandage to bed made him uncomfortable.

He hung his head and sighed, glancing at her in the dark. "It bothers me."

Frowning as she watched him go into the bathroom and turn on the light, Sam turned on her side and clenched her eyes shut, willing away the onslaught of sudden tears. She hated what this had done to him. Sam loved her husband with all her heart, and she knew that he loved her. What worried her was the fear that he'd been forever changed and would never fully recover mentally.

When Jack came back to bed, his stomach was wrapped tightly and he pulled a t-shirt on. He laid down on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Sam curled up against him once more, resting her hand on his chest this time. "I love you Jack, no matter what," she whispered sincerely. It was all she could give him now. Forever, he would have her love, and that would have to be enough to keep him from going over that edge.

-The End-


	2. Step Forward

**Summary: **Janet's having a cookout to celebrate her adoption of Cassie.

**Timeframe: **Post 'Singularity'. (Keep in mind, it's still AU)

**Characters/Pairing: **Established SJ, Team, Janet, Cassie

**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort, Family, General

**Rating: **G

**Step Forward**

Sam had noticed quite a few changes in Jack since he'd gained his symbiote, other than the obvious. He spent more time in the gym, for one thing. She supposed he grudgingly liked the fact that his strength had increased with the Goa'uld larva inside of him. Sam also had a feeling that his extra time spent in the gym was a chance for her husband to get away, to have some time to himself. She tried hard to prevent him from going off and brooding, as it was still early days yet.

Despite the front that he put up for his friends and Dr. Mackenzie, mostly so they didn't take him out of the field, Sam knew that Jack still had constant moments of loathing for himself and what had been done to him. Sam made it her personal mission to show him every day that he wasn't alone, that she was with him and together they would make it through this. Together they could live with the drastic, unwelcome change to their lives.

Today was going to be a day for celebrating, and though it wasn't a day where Jack was particularly in the mood to be around a bunch of people, Sam was grateful that he'd been so willing to come to Janet's for the cookout. SG-1 had played a big part in rescuing Cassandra, and in convincing General Hammond that Fraiser would be the perfect parent for the little girl. Janet was glad for their help to ease Cassie into their little SGC family, and the eleven-year-old had already grown attached to them all, especially Sam and Jack. Sam knew that Jack was quite fond of Cassandra already as well, just as she was.

-

Jack and Daniel helped carry the food out to the table by the grill while Janet followed with a big bowl of salad. Teal'c was manning the grill while Sam sat with Cassie at the picnic table and drank fruit punch. She talked to the young girl about school, and asked if she was adjusting okay living with Janet and learning Earth customs.

Sam watched Cassie's attention shift, and the eleven-year-old looked from Teal'c to Jack and then back to her again. "What's the matter kiddo?"

"Sam," Cassie tilted her head, brows furrowing curiously with pure child-like innocence in her grey-blue eyes. "Janet says Jack is like Teal'c, and that's why I get a funny feeling when I'm around them. She said it's 'cuz of the Goa'uld they carry and the naquadah stuff in my body."

Sam froze. She felt herself nodding, but didn't know why. Her mouth was dry and she was surprised that Cassandra had absorbed all this information in stride. "Cassie, you know that Jack and Teal'c are not bad, even though they carry the larval Goa'uld, right?"

"I know." Cassie smiled at her and shifted on the bench so she was facing Sam better. "I like Jack and Teal'c."

"Oh." Sam was a little confused now. She wasn't sure why Cassandra would bring this up. "Did you have a question, then?"

Shrugging, Cassie's voice got quiet and she looked around unsurely. "Well, Janet said I shouldn't talk to Jack about his symbiote, but I could ask Teal'c if I had any questions. Only if Jack's not there though." She glanced back to where Fraiser was carrying out plastic forks and plates. Daniel had sat down in one of the lounge chairs and Jack was now helping Teal'c with the food on the grill. "I wanted to know how come?"

"And you thought you could ask me?" Sam wanted to know. She was silently pleased that the child would confide in her.

Cassie shrugged and shyly said, "Yeah, because you're married to Jack."

"Oh." Sam smiled, though she was a little dumbfounded, not quite knowing how to answer. She didn't even know if she could tell this poor innocent child why Jack was so sensitive about the subject of his symbiote. Did she even have the right to explain to Cassie what had happened to Jack?

Luckily, Sam was saved by any explanation as Janet came over to the table, cheerfully exclaiming, "Food's ready! Come get something to eat guys."

Cassie got off the bench quickly and went over to the food table, seemingly having forgotten her question to Sam due to the rumbling of her stomach.

-

Jack reached for an ear of corn to add to his heaping plateful of food which matched Teal'c's. Sam had noticed that her husband now ate much more than he used to as well. She was a little ashamed that it made her jealous how much he could put away without gaining an ounce of weight. He looked more fit than ever, and if he wasn't so self-conscious about his pouch, Sam realized she might have been able to enjoy the view a little more.

Eating her own food thoughtfully while the others chatted, Sam's gaze strayed to Jack constantly. It wasn't until Cassandra spoke up with an unexpected question that Sam's attention strayed from her food and her husband.

"Jack," Cassie swallowed the mouthful she'd been working on and put down her cornbread. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hrm?" He rose an eyebrow, burger half-way to his mouth.

Sam tensed and watched as Janet visibly did so as well.

Cassie's gaze drifted from Jack to Teal'c and back again. She pointed at the gold emblem unhidden on Teal'c's forehead. Since they were in Janet's backyard, he hadn't needed to disguise it. "If you're like Teal'c, how come he has one of those and you don't?"

"Cassandra!" Janet admonished with wide, shocked eyes.

Sam's sharp eyes were intensely fixated on her husband. He stiffened immediately and looked as though he wanted to get up and leave the picnic table, but he appeared to force himself to remain in place. She was proud of him for that.

Daniel faltered for a moment before forcing his fork back into his mouth and slowly chewing on the mouthful of potato salad rather than letting it spill out of his gaping trap.

"What?" Cassie looked over at Janet, appearing unsure why the doctor had used that tone. She hadn't asked Jack about the symbiote, so she didn't think she was disobeying. The young girl had no idea that her innocent question was on the very subject Janet had warned her about.

Janet was looking worriedly at Jack, unsure how he would react, but as he began to open his mouth, Teal'c interjected with a steady, calculated response.

"The emblem on my forehead is a symbol of slavery to a false God. Colonel O'Neill has been fortunate not to be enslaved by such false God."

Cassandra simply nodded, and everyone at the picnic table seemed to breathe a sigh of relief that she had accepted the answer without saying anything else about it.

Sam thought she was the only one who caught the contradiction in Teal'c's answer. Despite having never gone through the Jaffa ranks, Jack was indeed a slave to the Goa'uld. There was no false God to him, but he was enslaved by the larva he reluctantly carried in his gut, for the foul creature was being used to keep him alive.

"I wasn't born this way, like Teal'c was," Jack said steadily, his sudden low voice startling nearly everyone at the table. Sam noticed the faint twitch of his jaw. "A very bad Goa'uld made me this way, Cassandra. I didn't have a choice," he explained softly in a pained tone.

"Oh." A sad look washed over the child's face. "Are you mad, Jack?"

Sam couldn't tell if Cassie was asking if he was mad for what the Goa'uld had done, or mad because she had asked the question.

Jack sighed. "Yes," he said with conviction, staring blankly at his plate. Then he lifted his chin and managed a smile for the girl, and Sam felt like it was genuine. His hard, dark eyes had softened. "But I've got to deal with what I've got and try to look at what good I can take from it. Just like you're doing now."

Cassie smiled, and Sam's heart was filled with warmth. She was so very proud of Jack at that moment, and felt as though he'd come a long way today. He'd taken another step forward, and that couldn't be a bad thing.

-The End-


	3. It's Never Easy

**Summary: **Jack and Sam relieve some tension, making an unconscious effort to better their situation.

**Characters/Pairing: **Established Sam/Jack

**Genre: **Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drama

**Rating: **T

**It's Never Easy**

The first time Jack made love to her since the whole Hathor incident, Sam doubted that either of them realized what had happened until afterwards. Sam hadn't expected it, and she hadn't been able to get Jack to talk about something he was so obviously ashamed about previously. She knew the thought of being intimate with her while his symbiote rolled around in his gut made him extremely uneasy. That's why Sam had been so surprised that her husband had been the one to break down the wall that had between them where intimacy was concerned.

Jack had woken her in the pre-dawn hours of the morning, desperate for her touch. Sam hadn't known what sort of nightmare had prompted his behavior, but she knew it wasn't his usual fear of the symbiote he carried leaping into her. Jack had never reacted quite this way before.

Sam had just held him silently, sensing that he'd craved her comfort and warmth. He'd wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on her stomach. She'd stroked his hair, his face, his arm, and they remained that way for about an hour, neither of them speaking.

When Jack had suddenly twisted in her arms and lifted her tank top to place gentle kisses on her stomach, Sam found herself quickly responding to him. As he'd kissed her, slowly and sensually making his way up her body while simultaneously stroking along her sides with his skilled hands, Sam had returned the loving, affectionate gestures in kind.

It didn't take long before clothing had been tossed to the floor and their bodies were naturally locked in a lovers embrace. Their lovemaking had been frantic and needy, but Sam recognized that it was something they'd both needed to break through that barrier.

-

Sam sat up in bed, pulling the sheets to her chest as she watched Jack get up and stride naked (save for the bandage around his abdomen) into their bathroom, his form illuminated faintly by the light from the rising sun coming in through the window. Neither one of them had spoken still, and she was silently afraid that mentioning the progress that had taken place would somehow cause Jack to shy away from her further.

Sam didn't know how to describe their intimacy (however brief it may have been) as anything other than progress. It had been a momentous step forward for the both of them as far as she was concerned. All she had to do now was make sure Jack remained comfortable sharing with her in this way now, like he'd always been before.

Slipping out of bed, Sam redressed in her pajamas that lay scattered on the floor, then padded toward the bathroom where her husband had disappeared minutes ago.

She found him with his hands braced against the sink, head bowed, and visibly shaking. "Jack?"

In his reflection in the mirror she could see that his eyes were clenched shut. His breathing was heavy and loud, and he made no acknowledgement that he knew she was there.

Sam placed a warm hand between Jack's shoulder blades, frowning when he flinched marginally, but she didn't remove her hand. "Honey? Are you okay?" She wanted to hold Jack in her arms again and soothe him, though she knew not what demons haunted him now.

He allowed a jerky nod and leaned back into her touch, breathing more slowly. His shoulders sagged slightly as the tension was eased out of them.

She turned off the bathroom light and rubbed his back. There wasn't anything she could say that would make everything alright. She was bothered by his symbiote sometimes too, but she couldn't let it show, for his sake. Sam wasn't trying to protect Jack or placate him, she was just trying to show him that it was okay. It was okay not to always be comfortable with the Goa'uld in his belly. It was okay to be angry, and it was okay to love and touch, and accept what had happened. It was okay to get on with their lives.

"Jack, come back to bed," she urged in a soft whisper.

Sighing heavily, he nodded, scrubbing a hand through his hair and opening his eyes. When he looked at her, she could almost see the bare hint of acceptance in those dark, soulful eyes.

Sam followed Jack back to bed, crawling under the covers and watching him as he bent to pick his shorts up off the floor and pull them on. It was still very early yet; they didn't have to bother getting up and preparing for work for a few more hours.

Feeling Jack shift closer to her as he got in bed, Sam rolled onto her side and buried her face in his chest as he they laid facing one another. He safely tucked her head under his chin and wound his arms around her, their legs twining together comfortably.

Even simple things like making love weren't so easy right now, but they were getting better, and Sam could live with that.

-


	4. Kelno'reem

**Summary: **Jack gets a lesson from Teal'c and Sam has her concerns.

**Characters/Pairing: **Established Sam/Jack, Teal'c

**Genre: **Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Drama

**Rating: **G.

**Note: **Bits of this was taken from the season two's, 'Holiday,' for the kelno'reem scene, but have nothing to do with season two, or that episode.

**Kelno'reem**

Jack swiped the sweat from his forehead and took a deep breath, readying his stance again. He'd been spending a good amount of time sparring with Teal'c lately, and the sessions they shared were really paying off. He was already well-versed in hand-to-hand combat thanks to his Spec Ops background, and his enhanced strength was really combining to make him, quite literally, a lethal weapon. He was stronger than ever, and not even his notoriously bad knees bothered him now.

"O'Neill, you are sparring with greater proficiency today than even yesterday," Teal'c complimented in his flat, stoic manner.

Jack felt himself grinning, then ducked to dodge one of Teal'c's attempted grapples. He hooked his toe behind his friend's knee while simultaneously shoving him hard in the chest, knocking the bigger man to the mat before hopping back and bouncing on his toes. "Thanks Teal'c."

The Jaffa nodded, then rocked back to roll on his shoulders before flinging his legs outward and springing back to an upright position. He stood still with his feet slightly apart and gave Jack a slight bow, signaling an end to the match.

"Wanna grab a snack in the commissary after hittin' the locker room?" Jack asked his friend, his eyes lit up. He hadn't felt this jovial in a long time, and it felt good.

Teal'c nodded in agreement, then as they picked up their towels and water bottles, asked, "Have you been having better success in performing kelno'reem, O'Neill?"

Jack tilted his head and made a face as they headed to the locker room. Teal'c still occasionally sat with him and schooled him on the ways of Jaffa meditation. It took a lot of getting used to and sometimes Jack still had a hard time of it. It was just easier to sleep than to make some connection with the snake in his gut, though the Jaffa assured him that if he did not perform the meditation at least once per day, he would feel its effects and begin to experience great weakness and fatigue.

"Sometimes I still have trouble reaching kelno'reem every time I try," Jack admitted with a grimace.

"If you ever require aid, I would gladly assist you in your meditation ritual," Teal'c offered sincerely.

Jack gave his friend an affectionate pat on the shoulder and glanced sideways at him, smiling. "Thanks buddy, I appreciate it."

-

Sam was still working in the labs late into evening. Jack had managed to drag her away from her analyzing of the disease from Hanka, Cassie's home planet, so they could sit down and have supper together. Jack would have much rather eaten in the comforts of their own home, but it didn't look like it was meant to be. Sam had a lot of work she wanted to get done, and he had requisition forms to fill out for their next off-world mission.

Suddenly not feeling up to par as he finished signing off on his last form, Jack decided to go for a little walk around the base to see if it made him feel a little better. He stopped by Daniel's lab to bother him for a bit, but much to Jack's surprise, the archaeologist wasn't there. He found out that his bookworm friend had actually gone home early for once, and had signed out of the base.

Continuing his walk, Jack got in the elevator again and made his way to Sam's lab. Inside the elevator, he leaned heavily against the wall and groaned softly, leaning his head back and momentarily closing his eyes. His symbiote was moving around quite a bit, and he wondered, briefly, if it was the snake's spiteful way of rebelling against him.

When the elevator doors opened up, he took a deep breath and stepped out, determinedly striding down the corridor and willing the creature inside his gut to quit it's thrashing.

He walked into his wife's lab and sat down heavily on a corner stool, seeing that she was staring intently at something or other in her microscope.

"Hey Jack, I'll be done soon," Sam said, obviously having heard him come in, and knowing that it was him.

Jack smiled a little at that, despite how cruddy he was feeling. He rubbed a hand at his sweaty forehead and closed his eyes, sitting straight in the stool and trying to reach a state of meditation. Maybe this was the fatigue Teal'c mentioned if he did not regularly perform kelno'reem. It was probably nothing, he thought positively.

By the time Sam finished with her work and looked over at him, Jack was slumped in the chair, having given up on his meditation. He felt like complete and utter crap.

-

Sam studied her husband intently, her brows knitting together slowly as concern washed over her face. He didn't look good. He was pale and sweaty, and appeared as though it was an effort just to keep his head up. "Jack? What's the matter?"

He heaved a sigh, grimacing. "I'm not feelin' so hot."

Sam stiffened with worry and went over to him. She pressed a cool, soothing hand to her husband's forehead and frowned. "Did you try your kelno'reem thing?" She still wasn't sure about all the particulars involving the Jaffa meditation, but she'd been there when Teal'c had first explained it to Jack and somewhat knew what it was all about. She'd understood enough to know that it was a necessary thing when one carried a symbiote in their guts as Jack and Teal'c did.

"Yeah." Jack nodded slowly, looking pained. He sighed heavily, sweat beading on his upper lip, his face looking further drained of color. "I couldn't do it; I tried though."

Sam reached for her phone on the wall and began punching in the number for Teal'c's quarters, her heart beating faster with slight panic. This couldn't be good. "I'm calling Teal'c, maybe he can help."

Jack nodded his assent, and she knew that he was worried too. This wasn't normal. She'd never seen Teal'c get sick, and Jack had been physically sound since he'd had his symbiote. He shouldn't be ill.

-

Teal'c arrived quickly after Sam's call, and she instantly felt some relief with his calming, sturdy presence. She watched as he strode toward his ill friend and studied the other man's appearance.

"What are you feeling, O'Neill?" he asked steadily, his voice low.

Jack grimaced and motioned with his hands, making a circular gesture over his stomach. "All of a sudden, Sparky's movin' around a lot in there."

Sam's eyebrows went up. "Sparky?" She couldn't hide the faint amusement in her voice.

Her husband quirked a smile at her and shrugged weakly. "Hey, I hadta call it something."

Teal'c, however, didn't miss a beat. "This likely means your body has contracted an illness the symbiote must repair."

"Illness. Great." Sam ran an agitated hand through her hair, belatedly realizing she had just sounded like Jack.

"It is common," Teal'c assured both her and Jack. "The symbiote will remedy the problem."

Jack heaved a sigh. "Okay, when?"

"The symbiote can only accomplish it's work if you put your body into a state of kelno'reem."

Sam could tell that Jack was getting anxious and agitated. He hated feeling sick and unable to control what was going on inside his own body.

"I tried that," Jack muttered, "I couldn't do it."

Teal'c looked serious, and Sam thought she detected a hint of worry in his features. "It is imperative that you do this, O'Neill, or it will be as though your body has no immune system." He placed a hand over his friend's shoulder. "I will assist you."

Sam's eyes darted to Teal'c's, helplessly. "What do we need to do?"

The big man helped Jack off the stool and placed a steadying hand on his friend's back when the other man swayed. "Come, it would be best to do this in your shared quarters."

Sam nodded and followed along quickly as Teal'c began leading her husband from the lab.

-

Jack stood in front of the bathroom sink in his and Sam's shared quarters, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes looked sunken and his face was grey and sweaty. He knew he looked worse than before.

Jack could see Sam in the mirror, leaning against the doorframe, her eyes revealing her concern. "I don't look so good," he muttered, bracing his hands on either side of the sink.

From inside the other room, Teal'c was lighting candles in preparation for the meditation. "You will become increasingly ill as long as your symbiote does not have the opportunity to make the necessary repairs."

Jack turned around and slowly walked towards Teal'c, weakly sinking down in a nearby chair. He felt Sam place a hand on his shoulder and was grateful for her presence. His eyes closed. "Teal'c, you're telling me this is just gonna get worse?" He felt the hand on his shoulder squeeze gently.

"If you do not perform kelno'reem, it could lead to your death," Teal'c replied in a blunt, yet sympathetic tone.

Clenching his jaw, Jack nodded. "Can you help me?" He didn't want to die; couldn't bear the thought of leaving Sam.

He saw Teal'c give a slight nod. "Please, be seated." He gestured to the area on the floor that was now surrounded by candles.

Sam helped Jack get down to the floor. He grimaced, holding his gut with one hand as he folded his legs to mimic Teal'c's meditation pose. Normally, when he did this, Jack would just be lounging in a chair or lying in bed. Perhaps the new position would help.

-

It was over an hour that Sam waited for Jack to reach kelno'reem. Not wanting to disturb the two men in the room, Sam pulled a chair out into the hall and waited. She was confident that Teal'c, the more experienced carrier of a symbiote, would be able to help Jack get better, but she was still worried.

Sam stood up as the door opened and Teal'c came out, looking pleased.

"O'Neill is well," Teal'c informed her, already knowing the woman's concerns were with her husband.

Her shoulders sagged with relief. She placed a hand on the Jaffa's shoulder as he passed with a slight bow. "Thank you, Teal'c."

"I was glad to be of assistance."

Sam stepped inside her quarters and found Jack moving about the room, blowing out the candles. He looked up when she approached and offered a lopsided grin.

"All better," he assured her, now collecting the various candles and stacking them on a bureau. "Teal'c said I could keep these."

Sam couldn't help herself; she rushed up to her husband and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. She felt him hesitate with surprise and confusion before his arms automatically wound around her waist, giving her a loving squeeze and rocking them from side to side.

"It's okay," he said softly, tucking his face into the side of her neck. His hands began soothingly rubbing her back.

Sam could tell that he'd been discomfited over the situation himself. "How are you feeling?" she asked him seriously.

"Good." Jack's voice held conviction as he slowly pulled away from her, smiling faintly. "I actually think I understand the whole kelno'reem thing better now."

Smiling back him, Sam nodded. She felt a little more at ease now, knowing that Jack was feeling more comfortable with his meditation. It gave her a sense of security in being sure that her husband was adjusting as well as she'd hoped.

She reached up to run a hand through his unruly hair. "Ready to head home?"

He grinned. "You bet."

Sam remembered she still had work to finish up, but she didn't care. Research could wait.

-


	5. Not Forgotten

**Summary: **Seeing how much time Jack spends with Teal'c, Daniel's feeling left out.

**Characters/Pairing: **Jack, Daniel

**Genre: **Drabble, Angst, Friendship

**Rating: **G

**Word Count: **147

**Not Forgotten**

Daniel watches them spar in the gym, keeping out of view.

He's desperate to understand his friend's pain, but he know he can't.

He used to be the one to pester Jack when his friend was troubled; he used to be the one Jack would talk to.

It wasn't him anymore.

Teal'c was better able to understand.

Daniel didn't know what it was like to have a "snake in his gut," as Jack would say. He only knew what it was like for one to be in his wife.

Jack looks over, sees him. He cocks his head at Daniel and invites him in with a grin.

Daniel smiles a little. Maybe Jack hasn't forgotten about him after all.


	6. The False Jaffa

**Summary: **Jack's needed for a solo undercover mission.

**Timeframe: **Sometime after 'Cor-Ai.'

**Characters/Pairing: **Established SJ, Team, Bra'tac, Other Character

**Genre: **Drama, Action/Adventure

**Rating: **PG

**The False Jaffa**

SG-1 sat around the briefing room table, all of them contemplative after Hammond's mission briefing. Bra'tac was sitting at the far end, next to the General and across from Jack. Sam sat next to her husband, their hands entwined over his thigh beneath the table. She anxiously gave his hand a squeeze.

Because they'd been married before the program began, and the President and Hammond wanted both of them on the flagship team, Sam and Jack had been able to remain on the same field unit under special circumstances. Sam had to report directly to Hammond, and the couple had to undergo a review every month, discussing whether they could function on the same team without causing problems. It made things a little difficult, as Sam had to follow her husband's orders while in the field, but so far there had been no problems. Sam would easily slip into her 'Captain Carter' mode when necessary, and Jack didn't face much difficulty treating her like any other soldier during a mission.

The team really wasn't conventional by any standards anyway. There were two Jaffa on the team, one being their leader, and the other from another world; then there was Daniel, their civilian, and her. Sam was a scientist, soldier, and a wife. The entire team wouldn't have had a chance staying together if it weren't for the topmost brass backing them up.

Daniel was the first to speak. "So, what you're saying is, you want one of us to go to P2X-493 impersonating a Jaffa? And it can't be Teal'c?"

"It cannot," Bra'tac intoned from near the head of the briefing table, leaning forward with his hands flat on the table. "Teal'c is well-known as a Shol'va amongst the Jaffa in Apophis' ranks. The base that requires infiltration is surrounded by serpent guards."

Sam squeezed Jack's hand harder, and he squeezed back. He knew as well as she did what was going down next.

"It has to be me, doesn't it?" Jack asked, his voice low and stony.

"Indeed." Teal'c bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Daniel opened his mouth to protest, "Jack doesn't speak Goa'uld, though. Doesn't that make things a little risky?"

Sam watched as Hammond glanced at Master Bra'tac.

"It would be more risky to send in someone with no symbiote," Bra'tac said gruffly, narrowing his eyes at Daniel before fixing his attention on Jack. "If one were to enter with no infant Goa'uld, the other Jaffa would be able to sense an empty womb in close quarters. That would be most dangerous."

Jack heaved a sigh. "So, what is it you want me to do again?"

-

Six hours before the mission, Jack sat in Daniel's lab with him and Teal'c learning a few basic Goa'uld commands and phrases. Hopefully he wouldn't be in the danger zone long enough for all those words to be useful. It was hard enough to make sense of even a _few _of the terms Teal'c and Daniel tried to drill into his head.

Jack knew what _hasshak_ meant; it was the insult Bra'tac had used to describe him and his teammates the first time they met. _Shol'va _was 'traitor,' and _kree _had a number of meanings. So far so good. After studying with Daniel and Teal'c for three hours, Jack understood more Goa'uld terms than he ever wanted to know about.

Heading to the gear-up room early for a quiet moment of contemplation, Jack was surprised to find his wife sitting on a bench, her face in her hands. He went over and sat carefully beside her, placing a comforting hand on her knee. "Sam? You okay?

She pulled her hands away from her face, breathing deep and looking at him with glossy eyes. "I'm fine." Sam smiled tightly, and he gave her a 'no bullshit' look. "Just a little uneasy about this whole undercover thing. That's all."

Jack nodded with understanding and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side and kissing the top of her head. "It'll be no sweat," he murmured reassuringly. "All I gotta do is go in, pretend to be one of Apophis' lackeys, bust Bra'tac's buddy outta jail, and come home." He flashed Sam his most disarming grin.

Sam rolled her eyes at his nonchalance. She sighed, ducking her head against his shoulder. "At least Bra'tac has assured us that Apophis isn't even going to be on the planet at the time."

"One can only hope," Jack muttered with a snort. He didn't know Bra'tac very well, but Teal'c did, and Jack trusted Teal'c. Even so, he wasn't stupid enough to think that everything always went as planned. Jack knew he had to be cautious and prepare to have a Plan B on hand. He was used to taking part in Ops that didn't go as well as expected, but he was trained to think on his feet and roll with the punches. This mission would be no different.

-

To say that Jack was uncomfortable in Teal'c's old Jaffa armor was an understatement. For one thing, he was not as bulky as his friend, so it didn't fit very well; and for another thing, simply wearing the uniform of one of Apophis' slaves didn't sit well with him. Other than that, he was in a metal _skirt_, for cryin' out loud.

Jack wrinkled his forehead at the stiff feeling of the fake tattoo beneath his hairline. When he'd stepped out of the gate on P2X-493, he was surprised to discover that the gate hadn't been guarded. He looked around cautiously, making his way down the stone steps and activating the claustrophobic armored helmet to conceal his face.

While striding along the worn path that seemed to lead straight to a stone structure barely visible on the horizon, Jack walked determinedly with his back straight, carrying the staff weapon as easily as if it were his MP5.

Bra'tac had assured Jack, as well as the rest of SG-1 and General Hammond, that this Jaffa that needed rescuing was someone that believed in pursuing Jaffa freedom as much as Teal'c and Bra'tac, and held information of some of Apophis' most recent secret whereabouts. The Jaffa was labeled as a traitor like Teal'c and was going to be put to death after suffering torture in captivity.

Jack inwardly cringed. Anything involving torture and being caged would always be a sore spot for him, causing him to recall his very unpleasant stay in Iraq during the Gulf. Jack had managed to keep those memories buried deep, but even so, certain situations like this one always brought it back a little.

Clenching his teeth, Jack kept walking, stopping with mild surprise when the entrance to the base came into view. He now understood why the gate wasn't guarded. This place was crawling with serpent guards. No enemy would be foolish enough to step foot on this planet.

Except him.

But Jack wasn't foolish; he had an edge.

-

It had been relatively easy getting inside the base. The guarding Jaffa paid no extra attention to him as he strode through the entranceway, confidently walking in his armor, his face concealed, staff weapon at his side.

While walking along the dull golden corridors, Jack noticed that the other Jaffa inside didn't have their serpent helmets up. Not wanting to attract any undesired attention, he reluctantly lowered his helmet and took a deep breath of fresh air. It felt inordinately good to be free of the claustrophobic headgear. He only hoped that revealing himself wouldn't also find him in a bind if he ran into any 'old friends' that had seen his face before. Jack was put somewhat at ease by Daniel's previous reassurances that Apophis had thousands of troops and the liklihood of any one of them on this current base recognizing him were slim to none. Teal'c, on the other hand, would've been recognized in a heartbeat, as the Goa'uld's treacherous former First Prime.

Bra'tac had given him a basic layout of the base, so Jack had a good idea where the prison cells were. He found the doorway leading to the steps for the lower levels and unhitched the lock that was very primitive for Goa'uld standards. Bra'tac had explained that this was a temporary base, and Jack guessed that was the reason why the place wasn't all kitted out with the latest security technology.

He passed two Jaffa on his way down towards the prison cells, but neither man paid him any mind. Jack strode down the long, narrow corridor on full-alert, until he emerged in an open space where there was an eight-by-ten cell, occupied, by who Jack assumed was Bra'tac's friend. One guard stood attentively by the locked bars.

Quickly weighing his options, Jack decided that the only way to free Bra'tac's friend was to take out the guarding Jaffa. He wasn't even going to try to pull a Daniel and talk his way out of this one. He didn't know enough of the Goa'uld language if the guard tried to test his loyalties by spouting off a few questions in his native tongue. Jack didn't think for one second he could just say, 'Oh, Apophis authorized me to transfer the prisoner' and get away that easily without any alarms being raised.

Walking casually up to the serpent guard, who was a tall, bulky blonde about as big as Teal'c, Jack stood still in front of him for a moment, staring the other man in the eyes. "Jaffa, kree!" he barked suddenly, startling the Jaffa and getting him off-guard for a moment. Jack took the opportunity to quickly swing up the end of his staff weapon to clock the other guy over the head.

The bulky Jaffa didn't go straight down at first, so when he was doubled over, Jack kneed him hard in the symbiote pouch. The guard went down like a sack of potatoes and then Jack clubbed him in the side of the head once more for good measure.

He straightened to find the prisoner standing up from the corner pallet of his cell in surprise. "Quiet," Jack warned lowly, now holding the staff weapon in a non-threatening gesture. "Bra'tac sent me. I'm here to get you out."

The older Jaffa, sporting a full beard, reddish in color, eyed him suspiciously and stepped toward the barred cell door. "Who are you?" he demanded in a low voice.

"The name's Jack. Jack O'Neill," he said, kneeling on the ground to pat the fallen Jaffa guard down, searching for some kind of key. He found it quickly, a brass looking piece in an odd shape, and paused before unlocking the cell. Jack didn't doubt that the Jaffa in the cell would try to overpower him and escape if he wasn't sure Jack was on his side.

"How can I be certain that Master Bra'tac has sent you?"

Jack took a deep breath with forced patience and tried to remember the phrase Bra'tac had told him to use; a phrase that would prove where his loyalties were, prove that he was friend and not foe.

Damn, what was that phrase?! _Del's shake n' melt_? No, that wasn't it. _Del shackles mets_? Crap, that wasn't it either! Oh, wait, now he remembered! "_Dal shakka mel_," Jack said, inserting the key in the lock and turning it carefully, his eyes still on the Jaffa.

The prisoner straightened and nodded in acceptance at Jack as he slid the door open. "We good? Great. C'mon, let's get the hell outta here."

As the other Jaffa emerged from the cell, Jack grimaced at the shabby rags the prisoner was wearing, then glanced down at the guard he'd knocked out. He pointed at him. "Put his armor on. I don't think they'll let me just waltz outta here with you."

The Jaffa nodded silently and quickly began relieving the unconscious guard of his armor, putting the uniform on with familiar ease. As he was about to activate the serpent helmet, he said, "O'Neill, you are not Jaffa, are you?"

Jack figured the guy picked up on his bad Goa'uld accent and odd way of speaking. The seasoned soldier wasn't fooled into believing he would just blend seamlessly into the role of acting Jaffa. That was why he wanted to be in and out, without having to interact much with the locals.

He grabbed the guard's staff weapon and handed it to Bra'tac's friend, smiling an ironic little smile as he finally answered. "Well, yes and no."

"I do not understand." The Jaffa adapted a puzzled look.

Jack snorted. "Yeah, well I don't have time to explain right now. C'mon." He waved the Jaffa after him and headed back the way he came.

-

"My name is Mik'lok," the rescued Jaffa said once they were a tentative distance from the base, both of their helmets now lowered again.

"Nice to meet'cha, Mickey," Jack said absently, his attention focused sharply on their surroundings as they trekked back to the gate.

The sound of heavy footsteps coming up behind them a few minutes later gave Jack a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Kree!"

Damn. Jack inwardly groaned as both he and Mik'lok slowed their pace without turning around. He should've known it wouldn't take long for the guard he'd clobbered to be found.

Both he and Mik'lok held a steady grip on their staff weapons, poised to spin around and fire at any given moment.

"Obi-tan!" a second Jaffa behind them shouted.

Jack remembered that one from Daniel and Teal'c's short lesson. _Halt. _He frowned, sharing a slight, acknowledging nod with his new ally.

As one, Jack and Mik'lok swung around, firing upon the two Jaffa behind them. Jack crouched as he shot the staff, but Mik'lok remained upright, only dodging slightly to the side, and Jack heard his ally's shout of pain amongst the sounds of sizzling energy blasts from their weapons.

Dammit, Jack cursed inwardly, only heaving a small sigh of relief at seeing the two Jaffa on their tails had fallen. With no time to waste, he rose from his crouch and grabbed Mik'lok's upper arm, hauling him upright. "You gonna make it, Mickey?"

The Jaffa nodded determinedly and they made a mad dash for the gate, certain that alarms would be raised and more warriors would be on their tails within moments.

They were about half a klick from the gate, and Jack could tell that Mik'lok was barely pushing on. He knew the Jaffa needed a moment to rest for his symbiote to begin repairing the staff wound that had glanced off his side, but they really didn't have time.

With a fierce, determined grimace, Jack pulled the injured Jaffa into some bushes and forced him to sit on fallen tree. "Rest a minute; I'll keep an eye out. Let your snake do it's thing."

Mik'lok began to protest. "We must keep going; I can continue."

Jack snorted and waved a hand at the burnt hole in the left side of the Jaffa's armor. "You don't let the snake do a little repair work, you ain't gonna make it. Now shut up and start meditatin', will ya?"

Mik'lok nodded, growing quiet. Jack assumed he'd begun his meditation and did a small check of their surrounding area, keeping a lookout for any enemy Jaffa.

With their break lasting nearly five minutes, Jack roused Mik'lok from his kelno'reem and they got moving again. The two men began chatting a little during the remainder of their trek, much to Jack's chagrin. This guy was the most talkative Jaffa he'd come across, yet.

Mik'lok had still been curious about Jack's answer when he'd suggested Jack was not a Jaffa, so Jack reluctantly gave his new ally the vague version of his story, only telling him that he had recently been turned into a Jaffa, and not by choice.

Mik'lok had a slight smile on his face as he glanced sideways at Jack. "O'Neill, you are a _kal'ma _among Jaffa." He chuckled.

Jack's brows furrowed as he narrowed his eyes at the elder Jaffa. He didn't know that word. "Should I be insulted?"

The gate appeared before them, less than fifty yards away, and before Jack was able to get a response, staff weapon fire peppered the ground at their feet. Apophis' Jaffa were coming up on their rear.

"Cover me! I'll dial the gate!" Jack shouted, firing a few times as he jogged backwards toward the DHD.

While Mik'lok fired at the oncoming Jaffa, Jack dashed to the DHD and began dialing Earth's address. He crouched low and fired his staff weapon into the surrounding brush while the gate connected and _kawooshed _to life. Jack's GDO was hidden beneath the armor on his left forearm, and he had to pull it back to punch in his code.

Jack quickly waved Mik'lok over, covering the Jaffa once he received the confirmation signal on his GDO. "Okay, let's move!"

As Apophis' Jaffa made a surge forward, seeing their enemy was about to escape, Jack continuing firing, making sure Mik'lok disappeared into the puddle before jogging up the steps to follow him.

"JAFFA!" an enraged serpent guard hollered, firing madly at Jack. "SHOL'VA!"

While felling one of the attacking Jaffa, Jack backed closer to the shimmering puddle within the gate. He glimpsed the flash of a firing staff weapon out of the corner of his eye, falling backwards into the stargate as fire singed his left shoulder.

-

The breath heaved out of his lungs as he landed flat on his back on the metal ramp Earth-side. Jack grimaced in pain at the jarring motion and yelled, "Close the iris!"

"Jack!"

He heard the concerned shout from Daniel and his wife simultaneously, then was drawn to his feet by two separate sets of hands taking hold of him beneath his arms. He winced as Daniel grasped his injured left arm. "Did Mickey make it through okay?"

"I am fine, O'Neill." The Jaffa in question spoke from somewhere near the bottom of the ramp.

Jack looked at Mik'lok as he turned around, gently shaking off the helping hands of Daniel and Sam. Both Bra'tac and Teal'c were standing by the other Jaffa as a medical team swept in.

"I see your mission was a success, Colonel," came Hammond's voice from the speaker, and Jack gazed upwards to see his commander in the control room.

Sending the General a nod, Jack followed it with a, "Yes, sir," and glanced sideways to shoot Sam a disarming, crooked smile.

Sam's blue eyes were wide with concern, and again she grasped his right arm. "Jack, you're hurt!"

He grimaced, knowing she had to have seen the singed mark on his left shoulder, despite the armor he wore. "It's not that bad."

"Get yourself down to the infirmary, Colonel. The debriefing can wait a few hours." Hammond's voice came over the speakers again, and Jack noticed the medics taking Mik'lok to the infirmary with Bra'tac and Teal'c as escorts.

"Yes, sir." Jack heaved a sigh and felt a sudden wave of nausea, his symbiote rolling around in his gut. He grimaced at the odd sensation he still wasn't quite familiar with.

"Jack?" Sam gave his uninjured arm a gentle squeeze, guiding him down the ramp when he swayed slightly.

"I'm okay," Jack told her softly, vaguely noticing Daniel standing close on his other side. "Just need a little time to let Sparky do his thing."

Sam wasn't going to let him get away with skipping an infirmary visit so easily. "You still need to see Janet. She'll decide how well you are." His wife's voice was firm and unwavering.

Jack smiled a little at that and allowed her to lead him away, one of the medics standing by the door and waiting for him.

-

Much to Jack's chagrin, Janet had decided she wanted him in the infirmary for overnight observation. When he complained, she simply said, "Just because you heal fast now doesn't mean you can get away with less treatment." Jack had rolled his eyes, which earned him a light, playful slap to his leg from Sam.

Grateful to be out of the cumbersome, ill-fitting Jaffa armor and into some relatively comfortable scrubs, Jack had managed to kelno'reem for an hour. His symbiote was nearly done healing the staff weapon burn to his left shoulder, and though he was feeling good, Jack realized he was actually a little tired.

Before drifting off for a brief nap, Jack learned from Sam that Mik'lok was doing well, and was nearly healed from his own injuries. Grateful for the news, Jack allowed himself to lose consciousness for a short time.

When he woke, Jack found Sam seated in a chair beside his bed, doing something on her laptop. He sat up slowly and swung his legs over the edge of the bed with a yawn while she closed her laptop and smiled at him. "Hey." He quirked a smile back at her.

"Feeling better?" Sam asked, looking at his shoulder pointedly.

He nodded. "Yeah, lots better. How's Mickey?"

She rose a delicate eyebrow. "Mickey?" Sam laughed and rolled her eyes. "Mik'lok's fine. You just missed him, actually."

"Oh?" Jack's brows knit together, a puzzled look on his face.

Sam nodded. "He wanted to thank you before he left, but you were still resting and he thought it best not to bother you. Bra'tac took him through the gate to a secret location."

"Ah," he said with understanding.

Standing up, Sam leaned over him and gave him a loving kiss on the cheek, brushing her hand through his hair. "I'm glad you're okay, Jack."

He grinned and reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Toldja it'd be no sweat."

Sam laughed softly at his attempt to lighten the mood, and he was pleased that it seemed to have worked. Jack knew she'd probably been worried sick about him, despite her knowledge of the field skills he possessed, and her own experiences. He would've been the same if their roles had been reversed.

When Daniel strode into the infirmary room, both Jack and Sam looked his way. He sent them both a friendly smile. "Hey guys. Jack, General Hammond wanted me to see if you were feeling up to a debriefing soon."

Jack glanced at Sam briefly, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm good to go." His expression grew contemplative for a moment before he spoke again. "Hey Daniel, would you mind translating something for me?"

The archaeologist blinked at him unsurely, his gaze shifting minutely from Sam to Jack again. "Uh, sure. What is it?" He rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest.

Tilting his head, Jack asked, "What does _'kal'ma' _mean?"

Daniel squinted for a second and unfolded his arms to adjust his glasses. "_Kal'ma?_" he repeated, obviously running over the bits and pieces of Goa'uld terms in his head. His eyes lit up slightly beneath his glasses when he found the word he was looking for. "Oh, it means _child_." He looked at Jack curiously. "Why?"

Snorting and shaking his head, Jack smiled wryly. "No reason, Daniel. No reason."

-


	7. Insecure

**Summary: **Jack's being a little broody and both Daniel and Sam are needed to help him out.

**Timeframe: **Shortly after 'Enigma.'

**Characters/Pairing: **Established SJ, Daniel

**Genre: **General, Angst, Drama

**Rating: **PG.

**Insecure**

Jack assumed the meditative pose that Teal'c preferred, one he rarely used himself, and closed his eyes, attempting to concentrate. It was getting a little easier, and as time went on, he was adapting better, attuning his senses to that of his symbiote. It was a strange feeling, but he knew that he had to let it happen.

A moment after he'd reached kelno'reem, the door to his and Sam's private quarters flung open, Daniel bursting through. Jack slowly unfolded his legs, grateful for the lack of protest from his knees, and stood to face his friend with a curiously raised eyebrow.

"What's got you so excited that you hadta bust in my room?"

A bashful grimace adorned the young archaeologist's features for a brief moment. "Uh, sorry Jack. I knocked, but you didn't answer," he trailed off, seeming to notice the candles and the darkness of the room for the first time. "Okay, and now I see why." Daniel grimaced. "Sorry, did I interrupt?"

Jack smiled wryly and waved a hand of dismissal. "Nah, I was just finishing up. I'm good." He knew his friend would've been upset if he'd interrupted Jack's meditation. Daniel was aware that Jack sometimes had a hard time reaching kelno'reem.

Blowing out the candles and turning on the lights, Jack waited expectantly for Daniel to say something. When he didn't, Jack prompted him. "So?"

"Oh! Right!" Daniel flashed a quick smile and adjusted his glasses. He shrugged. "I just wanted to know if you felt like getting lunch."

Raising a skeptic eyebrow, Jack shrugged and nodded. Now that he thought about it, his stomach was rumbling and Sparky was now churning in his gut, eager for sustenance. "Alright, let's go."

-

Daniel stared across the table at his friend as the older man devoured the large meal on his tray. "Hungry?"

Jack barely paused in shoveling food into his mouth. "Hey, I'm eatin' for two now," he muttered somewhat jokingly, pausing and taking a drink.

Aware that his friend had been keeping curiously to himself all day, Daniel considered their last mission and SG-1's encounter with the advanced alien race called the Tollan. He realized that Jack's avoidance had begun quickly thereafter.

"What do you really want, Daniel?"

Jack's sudden question surprised the archaeologist. Daniel grimaced, wondering if he were truly that transparent. He didn't answer right away, finding that he didn't quite know what to say.

"Sam tell you to drag me out for a chat?"

"Uh…no. But she did mention you haven't really been yourself lately." Daniel stabbed at the mush on his plate, swirling the mashed potatoes together with peas and carrots. He felt his ears getting red when he suddenly blurted, "Is this about Narim?"

Jack's fork clattered against the table, and Daniel could see the muscle in his jaw twitch as his friend clenched his teeth. "Dammit, that creep tried to kiss my wife!" he growled lowly.

Aware that there were other people in the commissary, Daniel kept his voice quiet. "But he didn't, Jack. Sam pushed him away; I saw it. She nearly slapped the guy across the face!"

"Well, he woulda deserved it!" Jack's eyes narrowed, brown orbs dark with restrained anger. "He tried to give her some Vulcan mind-meld device thing-a-majig."

"You mean the device he had that recorded his emotions? He had a crush on Sam and didn't know she wasn't available," Daniel tried to soothe, well-aware that he was treading on very dangerous ground at the moment. "But he sure as hell does now. Sam made it abundantly clear that she was uninterested and already quite happily spoken for. Flattered, but not interested."

Jack snorted, his fists clenched atop the table. "She didn't hafta be so damn nice to him. Maybe then he wouldn't have got the wrong idea," he muttered childishly, adding, "She gave him her cat, for cryin' out loud!"

Forcing himself not to chuckle at his friend's juvenile behavior, Daniel said, "She only brought the cat in to show him. Sam told me Schrödinger's already back home."

Grunting in response, Jack pushed what was left of his food away and crossed his arms.

Daniel was certain that his friend was only acting jealous because of his own insecurities, and knew that he needed to reassure Jack. He had to tell the other man something he was already aware of, even if the truth was a little fuzzy at the moment in a haze of doubt. "Sam loves _YOU_, Jack, and that's not going to change. You know that."

His friend sighed, rubbing the heel of his hand into his forehead. "Maybe," he muttered, face now in his hands. "I guess I'm just not interesting enough for her. I'm not a scientist."

The defeated tone to Jack's voice had Daniel a little worried. "Sam was just fascinated by the Tollan's technology, Jack. She wasn't fascinated by Narim." He paused, realizing this was as far as their conversation could go. "You need to go talk to Sam."

With a grunt of acknowledgment, Jack shoved his chair back and nodded, his eyes narrowed determinedly. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

-

After a brief, but meaningful chat with her husband about the SGC's latest alien guests, and convincing him that she was infinitely loyal to him and him alone, Sam decided that perhaps her awkward moment with Narim wasn't the only thing that was bothering Jack. He was using the jealousy as a buffer for his true insecurities.

Sam sat down on the lab stool beside Jack and gently took the plastic model of a double helix out of his fidgeting hands. "Something else is wrong," she said in a soft, blunt tone.

She watched his jaw clench before he heaved a sigh. "Yeah," he admitted after a moment, his voice low and barely audible.

Knowing it was best not to prod him right now, Sam waited patiently and placed her hand on his knee.

"It's Maybourne," he muttered under his breath.

She cocked her head, curiously. "You mean Colonel Maybourne trying to taken the Tollan people for the NID to stu…." Sam abruptly trailed off, realizing she'd just about hit the nail on the head. The Tollan were safe now, away from the greedy clutches of their government's shady NID program. Jack felt like HE was the one vulnerable for study.

Jack wouldn't look at her, studying an invisible speck on her lab bench. In a low voice, devoid of any emotion, he said, "Before Maybourne, Kennedy was planning to take Teal'c away for study. What do ya think's gonna happen if the NID find out about me?"

"Oh, Jack." Sam moved her stool closer to him and gripped his arm.

"I'm sure both me and Teal'c are soon to be on the NID's list for test subjects."

"No." Shaking her head firmly, Sam moved her hand down his arm to grip his own hand. "That's not going to happen, Jack. No one outside the SGC, except for the President himself, knows about you."

His teeth clenched both visibly and audibly, and a sigh hissed between his lips. "I've spent over a decade in special ops, Sam, both you and I know there can always be leaks."

She nodded, not denying it. "Yes, that's true. But whatever happens, they can't take you away. I won't let it happen, and neither will General Hammond, and I'm sure more than half the personnel on base won't either."

Jack snorted and quirked a wry smile. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes, Jack." She smiled, now turned so that she was facing him, her knees between his own. Sam reached out to put her hands on either side of his face. "No matter what happens, even if we have to escape through the stargate, they will NEVER touch you."

He smiled, a genuine one, and lowered his chin slightly.

"You're mine. Forever." Sam pulled his head forward, kissing his forehead, then his nose, before their lips met. She'd spoken truthfully; she would do anything for him, just as she knew he would for her.

Looking into her husband's dark-brown eyes before wrapping her arms around him tightly, Sam truly felt that Jack believed her, too.

-


	8. Content

**Summary: **Sam and Jack spend some quality time together at home, away from the hustle and bustle of the SGC.

**Timeframe: **Before "Solitudes."

**Characters/Pairing: **Established SJ

**Genre: **Fluff

**Rating:**G

**Content**

The sun was bright and warm in a cloudless sky, and birds chirped happily in a melodic tune outside their bedroom window. Sam was happy. It was one of those rare moments where her husband appeared care free, relaxed, and content. There was a lazy smile on Jack's face as he laid on his back with his hands resting behind his head. Sam was lying on her side next to him, propping herself up on an elbow. SG-1 had nothing scheduled for a few days, so they were allowed some time off. Both Jack and Sam had taken the opportunity to sleep in, lounging in bed lazily for most of the morning.

"What do you want to do today?" Sam asked idly as her delicate fingers began to lightly trace the veins in his arm.

"Hey, that tickles." Jack snorted and dropped his arm down by his side. "I dunno," he murmured, tilting his head toward her and grinning. "I'm good as long as I'm spending time with you."

Sam smiled, her hand changing course to rest just above his bare stomach. It had a been a week now since Jack had quit wrapping his pouch at night. The change in her husband began with Teal'c, who'd had a little chat with Jack concerning his fear about Sparky leaping into Sam in the middle of the night. From what she'd heard from Jack himself, all infant larvae were only concerned with their own survival, and knew instinctively that they would not survive inhabiting a host's body until they were fully mature. She supposed Jack had told her that because he knew the thought of becoming a host scared her, too, even though Sam had tried to hide it from him.

Turning into Jack's body to place a kiss against his collarbone, Sam sat up and swung her legs out of the bed. "I think we should start the day by getting out of bed."

Jack huffed and pouted at her. "Aw, do we hafta?"

Shrugging, Sam sauntered saucily toward the en suite. "I'm going to get in the shower. Wanna join me?" she tossed over her shoulder.

Once her words registered, she could hear Jack scrambling out of bed to go after her. She laughed and began shedding her clothes as soon as she entered the bathroom. It didn't take her husband long to catch up.

They made love in the shower, dressed for the day, and then Jack made Sam a big breakfast of pancakes, coffee, and scrambled eggs. They ate out on the back deck, sitting side by side on the wooden bench, and chatting casually about mundane things like socks lost in the dryer, upcoming visits to the grocery store, and future plans for their lawn care. Not one word was mentioned about saving the world from egotistical aliens. It was nice, and for the first time in a long while, Sam felt as though Jack were once again the same man she'd fallen in love with before Hathor ever entered their lives.

-

In the afternoon, Sam continued to work out in the back garden while Jack took a break to go inside and grab them some drinks. The sun was high in the sky, and the air was humid and warm. When she turned to see Jack coming down the steps off the deck with a pitcher of lemonade and some plastic cups, Sam took a moment to admire the skin that was exposed by the loose tank he wore. His skin was kissed brown from the sun, and glistening with sweat from their hard work in the garden.

Sam smiled as Jack filled the cups and set the pitcher down on a flat rock. He handed her one of the cups and downed his thirstily. She drank hers much more slowly, savoring the taste of freshly-squeezed lemons. "Thanks."

Finished with their short break, both Sam and Jack got down on their knees in the dirt and went back to work, planting seeds and flowers and digging up soil.

Hours later, Sam stood with her dirt-covered hands on her cut-off jean-clad hips, admiring their days accomplishments with a pleased smile on her face. She felt her husband's presence seconds before his arms wrapped around her from behind, encircling her waist as his chin rested lightly on her shoulder. He smelled of rich planting soil and sweat, but damn if he didn't still smell wonderful to her.

"Hrm, this is good," she said softly with a hum.

Jack's slightly-stubbly cheek rubbed against her smooth skin. "What is?"

Sam patted the strong arms wound around her, then smiled at him and released a contented sigh. "This."

He grinned with his cheek pressed against her face, then dipped his chin and kissed her shoulder, causing her skin to tingle. "Yeah, it really is."

Yep, Sam thought to herself, closing her eyes and just living in the moment. It really was good; and they could both use another shower, Sam decided with a mischievous smirk.

-


End file.
